Apple
iPhone 17 Pro Max
A19 Pro · 6.9″ OLED · IP68
96
/ 100
From $1,199
VS
iPhone 17 Pro Max wins by 3
Samsung
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Snapdragon 8 Elite · 6.9″ · 200 MP
93
/ 100
From $1,299
Specdex verdict
iPhone 17 Pro Max takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, iPhone 17 Pro Max lands at 96 and Galaxy S25 Ultra at 93. That puts iPhone 17 Pro Max ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick iPhone 17 Pro Max if…
- ✓A19 Pro chip
- ✓Up to 39 hours video playback
- ✓Up to 2 TB storage
Pick Galaxy S25 Ultra if…
- ✓Huge anti-reflective 6.9″ display
- ✓200 MP sensor with 5× tele
- ✓S-Pen productivity
iPhone 17 Pro Max 96
vs 93 Galaxy S25 Ultra
Score breakdown
iPhone 17 Pro Max
96 cpu 98
gpu 96
camera 95
battery 92
display 95
design 95
Galaxy S25 Ultra
93 cpu 96
gpu 97
camera 94
battery 89
display 96
design 92
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | iPhone 17 Pro Max | Galaxy S25 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.9″ OLED, 2868×1320 at 460 ppi | 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, 3120×1440 |
| Chipset | Apple A19 Pro chip | Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
| Storage | 256 / 512 GB / 1 / 2 TB | 256 / 512 GB / 1 TB |
| Battery (video) | Up to 39 hours | — |
| Charging | ▲ 50% in 20 min with 40W adapter; MagSafe up to 25W | 45W wired, 15W wireless |
| OS | iOS 26 | Android 15, One UI 7 |
| Weight | 233 g | ▲ 218 g |
| IP rating | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) | IP68 |
| RAM | — | 12 GB |
| Rear camera | — | 200 MP + 50 MP 5× + 10 MP 3× + 50 MP UW |
| Front camera | — | 12 MP |
| Battery | — | 5000 mAh |
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Pros
- +A19 Pro chip
- +Up to 39 hours video playback
- +Up to 2 TB storage
Cons
- −Premium price
- −Weighs 233 g
- −Wired charging requires 40W+ adapter
Galaxy S25 Ultra
Pros
- +Huge anti-reflective 6.9″ display
- +200 MP sensor with 5× tele
- +S-Pen productivity
Cons
- −Pricey storage tiers
- −AI features still maturing
- −Heavier in hand
FAQ: iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra
Which is better, iPhone 17 Pro Max or Galaxy S25 Ultra? +
iPhone 17 Pro Max scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is iPhone 17 Pro Max worth the price? +
At $1,199, iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in cpu.
Is Galaxy S25 Ultra worth the price? +
At $1,299, Galaxy S25 Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in gpu.
Does iPhone 17 Pro Max or Galaxy S25 Ultra last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.